At a glance

Your chance to

At a glance

10 nights hotels, 1 night houseboat and 2 nights in Indian grand homes; one of these is a palatial wedding mansion built by the Chettis and the other is a 19th Century plantation owners family home

10 days cycling with 100% vehicle support

Mostly quiet backroads with higher traffic levels near the cities

Ride door to door on most days

Cycle through two distinctively different Indian states

The two southernmost states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala perfectly depict the contrasting nature of India. Seeing them on two wheels gives the opportunity to soak up the rich culture and appreciate the different landscapes as we cycle by. We pass some of the most impressive sites of southern India, including the former French colony of Pondicherry and the magnificent Meenakshi Temple at Madurai. After the cooler highlands and tea estates of the Western Ghats we reach the tranquil backwaters of Kerala, where a relaxing houseboat cruise offers the chance to reflect on a memorable journey.

Cycling profile

Daily distance in km/miles:

Day 2

32.0km/19.9miles

Day 3

101.0km/62.8miles

Day 4

95.0km/59.0miles

Day 5

102.0km/63.4miles

Day 6

99.0km/61.5miles

Day 7

40.0km/24.9miles

Day 9

70.0km/43.5miles

Day 10

75.0km/46.6miles

Day 11

35.0km/21.7miles

Day 12

61.0km/37.9miles

Number of days cycling: 10

Pace: Moderate: 13-16km/8-10miles an hour

Terrain: Low altitude, 100% tarmac

Itinerary

Those who are on the group flights will land in Chennai early in the morning. Those not on the group flights will need to be at the airport when the group land if they would like to join the group transfer. Once everyone has arrived we will then depart on the 3½ hour drive to Pondicherry with a break at Mahabalipuram which is famous for its shore temples and rock carvings. Carving in stone is still a living art here and we will see stonemasons chipping away along the roadside, practicing skills that have flourished for centuries. On arrival in Pondicherry we assemble the bikes and explore this former French colony, a short 6km ride, before an evening briefing about our cycling adventure.See more images and videos

2Day 2Circular ride passing the spiritual commune of Auroville. After lunch in the old quarter the afternoon is free.

Circular ride to Auroville, a new-age spiritual commune. Founded in 1968 by 'The Mother' and named after her Guru Sri Aurobindo, it offers a more balanced way of living. Revitalized by some earthly fruit juices, we ride the 15km back into town, seeing some fishing communities and cycling along the promenade, which still retains some of its Gallic charm. Depending on time, lunch may be at Auroville or back in Pondicherry, and the res of the day is free. Ride approx 32km.See more images and videos

3Day 3Pleasant ride along village roads to experience the rural life of Southern India.

Starting from our hotel, we ride out of Pondicherry and soon leave the bustle of the city for quiet back roads, experiencing rural life where simple mud huts contrast with the brightly coloured saris worn by the local women. This is the real India and in true India style we stop at a roadside restaurant for lunch. Back on our bikes we cycle another 40km to our overnight spot. Staying in the grand mansion of the village we sleep in the extended family villa – with its own temple it’s almost like stepping back in time. Ride approx. 101km.See more images and videos

4Day 4Riverside ride to the 16th Century Nayak's capital of Thanjavur; visit the town and Royal Palace.

Scenic morning ride following quiet roads and tracks along the banks of the Cauvery River to Thanjavur. Previously a capital between the 9th and 13th centuries, it regained its status under the Nayaks in the 16th century who rebuilt the Royal Palace, Durbar hall and libraries. Late afternoon we visit the Palace which houses one of the finest collections of bronze sculptures and stone carvings in southern India, followed by a visit to the huge Brihadishwara Temple, one of the larest in India and known locally as simply the Big Temple. Ride approx. 95km.

5Day 5Long ride through the Tamil Nadu heartland to Chettinad, renowned for it palatial mansions.

Leaving the city by the old road, we head out into the Tamil Nadu heartland, to an area renowned for its impressive mansions built by wealthy traders know as Chettiars. Some of these palatial houses have been converted to boutique hotels, offering a glimpse of the past. The grand interiors of Burmese Teak and elaborate plaster work retain much of the traditional architecture of a bygone age. But it's from the kitchens tucked away at the rear of the house that the real flavour of India comes to life: Chettinad cuisine is as traditional as its buildings, the piquant curries are slow cooked in copper pots over a wood stove, and are as memorable as the ride to get here. Ride approx. 102km.See more images and videos

6Day 6Scenic backroads ride to Madurai, a highlight of any trip to India.

We follow the back road to Madurai. Riding from the hotel we pass the granite quarries and workshops of the master masons, whose caste have been carving temple pillars for 2500 years. Around the town of Melur we'll see hundreds of red clay horses surrounding small village shrines - these represent the god Aiyannar who protects the village boundaries. Another rocky outcrop is the sacred abode of Lord Murugan, the son of Shiva and also know as Skanda, the most revered god in Tamil Nadu. Staying on the outskirts of Madurai we avoid the worst of the busy traffic. Ride approx. 99km.See more images and videos

7Day 7Free morning to visit this magnificent temple city. Transfer to lunch then ride past Indian vineyards before a final ascent into the Western Ghats and our night stop at Thekkady.

Morning free to explore the old city and Sri Meenakshi-Sundareshwara temple, one of the largest temple complexes in India and one of the highlights of Tamil Nadu. Thousands of huge stone pillars line the hallways, each adorned with different deities, are said to represent the 3,333,333 gods of the Hindu cosmos. A constant flow of worshipers, offering pujas, (rituals performed by the temple priests to the various deities) add to the heady atmosphere of incense and camphor smoke, and make this an unforgettable experience of Hindu culture. Blessed, we leave the heat of Madurai for the cool air of the Cardamom Hills, transferring 2 hours to our lunch stop close to Theni. Hidden behind the banana plantation are the vineyards of southern India's new venture in to wine making. These give way to the forested slopes of the Western Ghats and a slow but beautiful ascent up through the rainforest to Thekkaday, a small town close to the entrance of Periyar Wildlife sanctuary and our accommodation for the next two nights. Ride approx. 40km.See more images and videos

8Day 8Free day to relax and stroll around this hill station or visit the nearby Periyar N.P.

Kerala, the land of coconuts and nicknamed 'God's own country', is the southernmost state of India. High levels of education and healthcare have given Kerala an enviable reputation elsewhere in India and its unique balance of Hindu, Muslim and Christian sets it apart from its neighbouring states. Today is free to relax or go on one of the trekking and boat safaris to the nearby Periyar wildlife park. Centred around a man-made reservoir, it is possible to see wildlife all year round, although the best time is the dry season (March-May) when herds of Elephant come to the lake to graze by the shore; if you are very lucky you may even see a leopard or tiger coming down to quench their thirst.

9Day 9A hilly days ride through the tea estates with a refreshing stop at a tea factory; after lunch ride one of the most scenic roads in Kerala to Vagamon.

Riding from the hotel we cycle through cardamom and tea estates, stopping mid-morning for tea and to visit the local tea factory, learning more about the tea making process. Refreshed, we continue along hilly tea plantation roads with a lunch break at a small roadside restaurant en route to Vagamon, an area of outstanding natural beauty and one of the most scenic roads in Kerala. We end the ride with a superb winding descent on a quiet road and stay at an old plantation bungalow. Ride approx. 70km.See more images and videos

10Day 10Cycle through rubber and spice plantations to Kottayam, the Syrian Christian heartland of Kerala.

Today we ride through rubber and spice plantations en route to Kottayam , known as the Syrian Christian heart land of Kerala. Here grand churches dot the landscape and we break for lunch at Palai to visit St Thomas Church, its white washed facade and distinct gilded ceiling predates its Portuguese renovation. All roads converge into Kottayam City, and we avoid the city by following country roads, entering a world in which the author Arundhati Roy set in her book 'The God of Small Things', close to the shore of Vembanad Lake. Ride approx. 75km.See more images and videos

11Day 11Free morning to explore or relax by the lake before boarding a houseboat for a stunning backwater cruise.

Free morning to relax and enjoy the lake view; or ride to the nearby Kumarakom bird sanctuary and then take a sightseeing ride along the shore of the lake. Midday we board our houseboats for a stunning backwater cruise. The houseboats, converted rice barges now come with a captain, cook and crew; we just sit back, sip long drinks and watch the world go by. Ride approx. 35km.See more images and videos

12Day 12Final ride along the coast road to Fort Cochin, stopping at Marari for lunch.

In the middle of the morning we disembark at Alleppey, the 'Venice of the East'. Riding along the old canal road, we can view some of its more historic buildings. We take the coast road north to Marari Beach for our first view of the Arabian Sea, and finally know that we've cycled across India from coast to coast. The afternoon ride ends at Fort Cochin. Ride approx. 61km.See more images and videos

13Day 13Free day in Fort Cochin with its Chinese fishing nets.

A free day to explore the town of Cochin, its bazaars and old harbour area. Warehouses filled with the smell of tea and spices are limewashed bright green, yellow and blue; rickety old bikes and handpainted trucks piled high with goods, fill the narrow streets and food stalls stand on every corner. Further along the road we come to Mattancherry and the Dutch Palace. Next to the Palace is the synagogue, built in 1568 for the Jewish members of Cochin's trading communities, adorned with hand-painted tiles from China and elegant Belgian chandeliers, all donations from wealthy merchants. The area around the synagogue is excellent for shopping. For food, try the fish market near the Chinese fishing nets, where you can buy the day's catch and have it cooked to your own taste. There are also plenty of shopping opportunities here.

If you are on the group flight you will have an early morning transfer to the airport for the flight back to London. Those not flying with the group will leave us at the hotel in Cochin.See more images and videos

Your images

Guided Group

This is a small group guided holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 16 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You are moderately fit and have an interest in remote or challenging environments. Some previous experience is required for activity based trips.

What's included

What's included

13 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 8 dinners

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Bike hire (available locally from GBP120 - paid on booking)

Single accommodation (available on request)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Hotels, Houseboat & Grand Homes

You will spend 10 nights in hotels and guesthouses, 1 night in a houseboat and 2 nights in Indian grand homes; one of these is a palatial wedding mansion built by the Chettis and the other is a 19th Century plantation family home.

The night near Kottayam (Day 9) will usually be spent in a local homestay. The accommodation here is spread out so some of the group will stay in the main house and others in permanent Swiss Cottage tents. These each have a raised bed and mattress, an attached veranda and toilet.

Houseboats are comfortable, the majority of cabins on board are on a twin share basis, and all cabins have toilet facilities. The houseboats have a communal dining area and are air-conditioned.

Single supplements available on request from £495 (excluding houseboat)

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
Visas are required if you are British and for most other nationalities. To apply for the Indian visa yourself you will need to go through the Indian High Commission's VF service (http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk) and visit one of their centres in person or use a visa agency, such as Travcour, to do visit for you. The current visa fee for British passport holders is GBP82 (plus a service charge of GBP7.44). For UK residents full details of the visa process will be provided with your booking confirmation.
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approx. 2000m, there is low to no risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips going to altitudes of over 3000m there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please see the TRIP NOTES for further information. Holiday style

Average daily distance: 65km (41 miles)
No.of days cycling: 10
Vehicle Support: 100%
Terrain and route: almost entirely surfaced roads including plenty of quiet backroads with low levels of traffic, but this does increase when approaching towns. Road surfaces mostly good. There is one sustained climb en route, and some undulating sections with short climbs, but the support vehicle is available if required. Longer days at the beginning of the trip are mostly flat, but always interesting. Most rides are door-to-door, allowing plenty of time in the saddle.

Eating & drinking

13 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 8 dinners are included. For meals not included you should allow approx. GBP8 (approx. . USD12.80) per lunch and dinner, GBP2-3 (approx. . USD3.30-4.80) for lunch, and GBP4-5 (approx. . USD6.40-8) for dinner without drinks. This amount may vary according to how much you drink. Generally you can eat out very cheaply in India. There is a good choice of restaurants and sometimes there is a choice between Indian and Western style food. If you are a vegetarian, South India is an ideal destination. Lunches on riding days are usually taken in local roadside cafes. Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. A (large!) bottle of beer is approx. GBP3 (approx. . USD5). Mineral water is widely available. Please note that service in restaurants can be quite slow.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want
to know about this trip, including detailed itinerary and full kit list.

Weather & seasonality

The most important feature of the Indian climate is the monsoon. The main monsoon strikes the coast of Kerala in late May and sweeps its way northward over the next month or so. The ideal time to visit is during the dry season from October to March, but monsoons have been known to be late and it can rain as late as November. Days will be hot and the nights warm: the average range of maximum daytime temperatures being between 21 and 30degC and from 6 to 20degC at night. However, in the hills temperatures can be considerably cooler and you can expect temperatures to drop to a few degrees above 0degC at night. We ask you to note that frequent rainstorms can be expected throughout the tour on November departures. However, the storms are usually of quite short duration and the sun normally comes out fairly quickly afterwards.

You do need to be both a confident and competent cyclist not only to cope with the wonderful mayhem that is Indian town traffic but also the distances in the heat, however the rewards of this is getting to see and visit areas of India that most do not.
The sights,sounds and smells as you ride along are a delight and a photographers dream.
The accommodation was wide ranging from modern hotels, home-stays and magical old Indian hotels. All the food through out the journey exceeded our expectations with wonderful Tamil and Keralan cuisine.
We really had a great adventure - a highly recommended trip. Thank you Exodus!

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

It seemed at times we were passing through the very soul of India with its very colourful local ceremonies and all the many school children high fiving us as we cycled through their life.

What did you think of your group leader?

Our group leader Shaker and his support team were excellent throughout with their mindfulness of our needs both on the mechanical side and perhaps more importantly on the relaxation and refreshment front!
To get us all safely across India on a bike was no easy task!

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

You do need to be both a very competent and confident cyclist with stamina more important than speed to enjoy this trip to the full.
Take a small pocket camera with a big memory card!
Tamil food has taste attitude! Enjoy!!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The bikes were of high quality and great to ride although a little large for some of the ladies who had difficulty with them. Not good in the challenge of the Indian traffic system!

If you are a keen cyclist than this trip is for you as its one of the most challenging ride in India. The distance covered most days are long and the terrain itself is formidable. The rating for this trip should be C/D because of the many stretches of the uphills !! Also the road and traffic conditions can be a nightmare but its doable.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

The boat trip in Kerala is my highlight.

What did you think of your group leader?

The whole team we had was excellent. Shaker our leader is efficient, he is innovative,always cheerful and has very good knowledge of the region. He has proven himself to be a true gem for the company and because of his leadership, most of us have many happy memories to take home with us. Aby, his deputy is a young man with plenty of potential. He has been a great help to us all,always the encourager when we are about to give up. He works well with Shaker and they both work well togather. Franklin, our driver is a gem. He is very caring and never have to be told what to do. Always ahead in providing water, bananas and energy biscuits etc to make sure we have the energy to go on!!! His initiative is his plus point.Also he works quietly behind the scene everyday to provide us with enough to hydrate us in the hot weather. All in all a perfect team that works well togather.

Arguably the best travelled man in Britain, Phil has notched up over 100 countries since joining Exodus sometime (he won't tell us exactly) in the 1980s. His 10 years driving Exodus Overland Expeditions around Asia, Africa and South America included 3 north-south traverses of Sudan and various visits to Afghanistan. Office work has slightly tamed the man, and interests now lean more towards trekking - Dolpo in Western Nepal; and biking - wine trails of France.

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

I've heard the 'Delhi Belly' rumours in India -will this be a problem?

India has delicious food to cater for all preferences but, like anywhere in the world, hygiene is important. Keeping your hands well washed before eating, staying as hydrated as possible and sticking to bottled water is the best protection against an upset tum. Otherwise, mashed potato is apparently a good cure!

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

Is it possible to get visas upon arrival?

No. Indian visas must be pre-arranged in advance. Check the Indian embassy website for details.

Land of the Tiger articles

Caroline Northcott, one of our clients, travelled on this trip a few years ago. Please read her inspirational article to get a personal viewpoint of the holiday.

Exodus staff - expertise on hand to help

All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!

How do I join the Departure Lounge (forum) in the Exodus Community?

To view the Forums, including the Departure Lounge, you do not need to be member of the Exodus Community, simply click on the Community link at the top of every page and read the posts in their respective sections by entering the Departure Lounge, or one of the other options in the list on the page.

To join in a discussion, if already a member, please sign in to your Exodus website account (not related to booking reservations) to contribute to the Forum. If you are not a member of the Exodus Community, you can register by clicking the 'Sign in' at the top of every webpage and select ‘Register’ within the drop down panel.

When viewing the Forum area of the website, as you scroll through the 'Rooms' which are set out by 'travel months' during the current year within the Departure Lounge. You can then select the 'month' of intended travel, then filter the list of trips that have already been created by fellow travellers to see if your trip is listed. If the trip you are travelling on is not in the list, you can start the process by clicking on the 'Post new forum topic' link above the list on the same page. If you do see your trip within the list, select it to view the 'discussion' by your fellow travellers and you can join in by completing the 'Post your comment' section below the discussion thread.

Please note: there might be slight a delay before your post/comment appears as intended because we moderate what is published on the website.

We hope you enjoy using the Departure Lounge to meet your fellow travellers and continue to contribute right up to the start of your journey with Exodus.

Pages

You recently looked at

From the social networks

Exodus Travels
Have you herd the news?
Our International Sales Manager and photography enthusiast Andrew Appleyard is just back from the Masai Mara where ... The news from the Mara plains is that the migration has arrived and our International Sales Manager has captured some superb photos of the action... The Great Migration Through a Lens1 day 7 hours ago.

Responsible travel

We realise that every holiday destination is also
someone else's home and that we should leave places as we found them. Find out
more about how we incorporate
responsible travel into our adventure and activity holidays, and how you
can help by donating to one of our
responsible travel projects